Bloody Pawsteps
by Secretly Imaginative
Summary: AU. The fire alone didn't save the Clans; he broke them. He wasn't evil nor cowardly, but everything came to a halt when his death, caused by the leader Scourge of BloodClan, changed the Clans' minds about having hope and determination. Full summary inside.
1. Chapter One

**Bloody Pawsteps**

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**Full Summary: **AU. The fire alone didn't save the Clans; he broke them. He wasn't evil nor cowardly, but everything came to a halt when his death, caused by the leader Scourge of BloodClan, changed the Clans' minds about having hope and determination. Some joined Scourge while others, like the fire's loved ones, fled for shelter and new territory. Sandstorm's heart is broken and Cinderpelt's faith is lost, and when they discover one mistake and one destiny, it will damage their hearts but encourage their spirits to fight for where they belong.

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**Author's Notes:**

**Laura's A/N: **Hello, everyone! Welcome to our story!

**Invisi's A/N:** Hi! Um, well, this story is a collab between myself (Invisia) and Secretly Imaginitive (Laura). I hope you enjoy it, and please leave a review!

**Disclaimer: **Neither of us own Warrior Cats; we only own the OC's.

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**ALLEGIANCES**

SHADOWCLAN (who fled to the streets of Two-leg place)

Leader: Blackfoot- white tom with huge jet-black paws

Deputy: Russetfur- dark ginger she-cat

Med. Cat: Runningnose- grey-and-white tom

Apprentice: Littlecloud- very small tabby tom

Warriors:

Oakfur- small brown tom

Jaggedtooth- huge tabby tom

Apprentices:

Cedarpaw- dark grey tom

Rowanpaw- dark ginger tom

Tawnypaw- tortoiseshell she-cat

Queens:

Tallpoppy- long-legged tortoiseshell she-cat

RIVERCLAN (who fled to the land beyond Highstones)

Leader: Leopardstar- unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat

Deputy: Mistyfoot- grey she-cat

Med. Cat: Mudfur- long-haired light brown tom

Warriors:

Blackclaw- black tom

Heavystep- thickset tabby tom

Loudbelly- dark brown tom

Apprentices:

Dawnpaw- very pale grey she-cat

Featherpaw- silver tabby she-cat

Stormpaw- grey tabby tom

Queens:

Mosspelt- tortoiseshell she-cat

BLOODCLAN (who rule the forest)

Leader: Scourge- small black tom with one white paw

Deputy: Fox- ginger she-cat with brown ear tips

Members:

Venom- black mottled tom

Dewdrop- pale grey she-cat

Trout- grey-and-white tom

Lightning- white tom

Parsley- tortoiseshell she-cat

Sunny- golden brown tom

Black Rose- black she-cat

Screech- grey tabby tom

Brindle- pale ginger she-cat

Owl- dark brown tabby tom

Athena- silver-grey she-cat

Mortimer- red tabby tom

Jem- grey tabby tom

Echo- fluffy white she-cat

Amber- golden tabby she-cat

Blue- blue tabby tom

Storm- fluffy brown tom

Longtail- pale tabby tom; formerly of ThunderClan

Mousefur- dusky brown she-cat; formerly of ThunderClan

Frostfur- white she-cat; formerly of ThunderClan

Goldenflower- pale ginger she-cat; formerly of ThunderClan

Thornclaw- golden brown tabby tom; formerly of ThunderClan

Willowpelt- very pale grey she-cat; formerly of ThunderClan

Sorrelkit- tortoiseshell she-cat; formerly of ThunderClan

Sootkit- dark grey tom; formerly of ThunderClan

Rainkit- dark grey tom; formerly of ThunderClan

Barkface- short-tailed brown tom; formerly of WindClan

Mudclaw- mottled dark brown tom; formerly of WindClan

Webfoot- dark grey tabby tom; formerly of WindClan

Tornear- tabby tom; formerly of WindClan

Runningbrook- light grey she-cat; formerly of WindClan

Ashfoot- grey queen; formerly of WindClan

Morningflower- tortoiseshell queen; formerly of WindClan

Whitetail- small white she-cat; formerly of WindClan

CATS OUTSIDE THE CLANS

Barley- black-and-white tom that lives on a farm

Ravenpaw- sleek black cat that lives on the farm with Barley

Princess- brown-tabby-and-white kittypet

Smudge- plump black-and-white kittypet

Hattie- brown tabby kittypet

Firestar- fiery ginger tom; formerly of ThunderClan, lives on the farm

Greystripe- long-haired grey tom; formerly of ThunderClan, lives on the farm

Cinderpelt- crippled dark grey she-cat; formerly of ThunderClan, lives on the farm

Dustpelt- dark brown tabby tom; formerly of ThunderClan, lives on the farm

Sandstorm- pale ginger tabby she-cat; formerly of ThunderClan, lives on the farm

Cloudtail- long-haired white tom; formerly of ThunderClan, lives on the farm

Bramblepaw- dark brown tabby tom; formerly of ThunderClan, lives on the farm

Brackenfur- golden-brown tabby tom; formerly of ThunderClan, lives on the farm

Brightheart- disfigured ginger-and-white she-cat; formerly of ThunderClan, lives on the farm

Onewhisker- brown tabby tom; formerly of WindClan, lives on the farm

Ashpaw- pale grey (with darker flecks) tom; formerly of ThunderClan

Fernpaw- pale grey (with darker flecks) she-cat; formerly of ThunderClan

Dappletail- tortoiseshell she-cat; formerly of ThunderClan

Tallstar- black-and-white tom with a very long tail; formerly of WindClan

Deadfoot- black tom with a twisted paw; formerly of WindClan

Hannah- brown tabby she-cat; formerly a kittypet

Rabbit- brown tabby she-cat

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**Chapter One**

* * *

Scourge reared back, his paw raised for the death blow. Firestar scrabbled at him to get away, but he was not fast enough. Agony exploded in his head as Scourge's reinforced claws struck down on him. Flame washed over his eyes, fading to leave nothing but darkness. A soft, black tide of death was rising to engulf him; he made one final effort to get up, but the pain of claws raking his stomach pushed him back down, and he fell back into nothingness.

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_"__Firestar, no!" _cried a voice. The black she-cat that Sandstorm was scrabbling backed away, her eyes fixed on something behind the ginger she-cat. Around them, the fighting came to a halt. Sandstorm spun around, and let out a strangled cry.

Scourge was poised over Firestar, his one white paw stained blood red. Blood trickled from a wound on the ThunderClan leader's head, whilst it bubbled from a gash in his stomach. Around him, the grass was crimson and sticky. Sandstorm tried to race forwards, desperate to reach her mate, but teeth caught her scruff and pulled her back.

"Don't!" Dustpelt hissed in her ear. "Do you want to get yourself killed?"

"But, Firestar—" Sandstorm protested, and was cut off by the tabby tom's fierce mew.

"Has nine lives. He'll be fine without you getting yourself killed."

_Nine lives didn't stop Tigerstar from dying, _Sandstorm thought doubtfully. Worry gnawed at her insides. _Please, StarClan, let him be okay. _

Time seemed to stretch on into seasons. Still the cats stood, watching Firestar's bloodied body for any sign of life. Nothing. Soon, the Clan cats began to mutter.

"Why isn't he waking?"

"He should be back by now!"

"Was that his last life?"

"Don't be mouse-brained, he only got his name not long ago!"

"Is he dead?"

_No,_ Sandstorm thought hopelessly,_ Please don't be dead, Firestar, please!_

Apparently, Scourge had had enough. He let out a cackle, leaping up onto the Great Rock. "Cats of the Clans!" he yowled. "Your great leader, Firestar, is dead."

_"No!" _Sandstorm screamed, trying to race towards her leader's side. Once again, Dustpelt held her back, despite all her struggles. Eventually, she collapsed, her whole body shaking with heart-wrenching sobs. She spotted Ashfoot, a WindClan queen, watching her sympathetically. She raised her head, looking up at Scourge. The small black tom looked amused. Sandstorm felt anger penetrate her grief. _How dare he! _She thought. _How dare he stand there and laugh! He took the love of my life from me! He can't do that!_

"I now give you a choice," Scourge continued. "You can continue to fight and die, or you can surrender. On your surrender, you will be allowed to live in peace—whether you decide to leave the forest or join BloodClan is up to you."

Silence. No cat spoke. Some dared not even to breathe. Scourge chuckled at the response he received.

"I'll take that as a surrender then," he mewed casually. "Now, leave the forest or pledge your loyalty to BloodClan."

"ShadowClan will never follow you!" Blackfoot snarled, limping forwards. "My cats will leave the forest, and you will leave us be, you mange-pelts!"

Scourge nodded. "Very well."

"RiverClan will leave also!" Leopardstar announced, raising her head high. "We shall find a new river, and will never have to worry about you scoundrels ever again!" In Sandstorm's opinion, Leopardstar could have well been talking to the other Clans as well as Scourge. Next, Tallstar stepped forth.

"WindClan hasn't the strength to leave the forest, and we do not wish to leave our homes anyway. I leave it to my Clanmates to decide where their loyalties lie." He staggered, and Deadfoot rushed over to support him. The two limped to where the medicine cats crouched at the edge of the clearing.

"What of ThunderClan?" Scourge asked, looking smug. Sandstorm searched for Whitestorm through the crowd of cats, but she couldn't see the warrior anywhere.

"Excuse me, coming through," a familiar voice mewed, and the crowd parted to allow Cinderpelt to hobble through. She raised her head high, staring at Scourge straight in the eyes. "Firestar is dead!" she cried, her voice rich with sorrow and anger. "Whitestorm is dead!" Gasps rippled across the cats. Sandstorm also let out a gasp, utterly shocked. Whitestorm...dead? It couldn't be! Who would lead them now? _Not Scourge, that's for sure. _

"ThunderClan has no leader!" Cinderpelt continued. "ThunderClan..." She lowered her head, her tail drooping. "Is no more."

Shocked caterwauls erupted from the cats of ThunderClan. Sandstorm felt her heart skip a beat. _ThunderClan... is no more. I'm no longer a ThunderClan cat! _She realized, and let out a distressed wail.

"Very well," Scourge all but purred. "You have until sunrise. Collect your dead and leave the forest, or regret it. Any Clan cats wishing to join BloodClan had best be here at sunrise. Dismissed." He flicked his tail and leaped down from the rock. His Clanmates filed after him, leaving the clearing silent and empty besides the dead and the grieving. At last, Dustpelt removed his paw, allowing Sandstorm to move freely once more. She let out a cry and raced towards Firestar, nudging his fiery fur with her nose.

"Come on, get up," she mewed desperately. "You can stop pretending, Firestar, they're gone. Get up!" She nudged him again. He didn't stir. "Great StarClan, Firestar, get up!" She heard the noise of uneven footsteps behind her and felt Cinderpelt's tail rest on her shoulder.

"Shh," the medicine cat whispered. "Come now, Sandstorm."

Sandstorm felt sobs shake her body once more. "No," she mewed, shaking her head. "No, Cinderpelt, he's not dead. He just can't be dead!" She shoved her muzzle under his lifeless form, forcing him to his paws. She moved out of the way and his body fell down, causing the puddle of blood around him to splash onto Sandstorm's paws. The rank scent of death rose up to meet her nose, causing chills down her spine.

_He _is_ dead._

Her body began to shake uncontrollably and she let out several heartbroken screams. "_No_!" Cinderpelt pulled her close and she buried her face in the medicine cat's chest fur. "_No, no, no, no, no..."_

She felt a tongue rasp over her ear and looked up to see Greystripe, his eyes clouded with grief. "Why, Greystripe?" she sobbed. "Why? Why did he have to leave us?"

The grey tom sighed. "I wish I could answer that question, Sandstorm, but some things only StarClan can explain."

"I loved him," she whispered. He nodded.

"I know," he murmured. "I know."

Around them, cats were already dragging bodies from the hollow. Sandstorm spotted Fernpaw and Ashpaw rushing to the direction of the ThunderClan camp, while Brackenfur and Bramblepaw conversed between one another, cleaning the blood from their pelts. RiverClan were heading towards their territory, and ShadowClan were following their example. Tallstar and Deadfoot spoke together quietly, before helping each other limp out of the hollow and heading towards Two-leg place.

"So, where to now?" Cinderpelt asked. Sandstorm shook her head wordlessly, feeling empty._ Firestar is dead. _

"Greystripe?" called a voice. Sandstorm craned her neck to see Ravenpaw padding over to them. "Did you have any plans? Because, if not, you're welcome to stay at the farm." His gaze strayed to Firestar's limp body. "We'll-we'll hold a vigil," he mewed, voice choked with emotion. Greystripe nodded.

"Thank you, Ravenpaw. I really appreciate it."

"I'm coming too!" Sandstorm mewed. The two toms turned to look at her. "He was my mate," she stated dully. "I'm coming to the burial."

"I ought to come too," Cinderpelt said. "You're all injured, and I can't leave Sandstorm..."

"Then I'm coming too," Cloudtail mewed, hobbling over to them. "He was my mentor and my uncle. I never abandon kin."

"If Cloudtail goes, I come too," Brightheart decided.

"I'm not going without her!" Cloudtail agreed, twining his tail with Brightheart's.

"Um, hi," spoke a polite voice, and the group looked over to see Brackenfur and Bramblepaw padding towards them. "We couldn't help but overhear, and, well, we wanted to come too."

Ravenpaw looked around at them all, then turned to Barley. "Do we have room for all these cats?" he asked, trying not to laugh.

"I'm pretty sure we do," Barley agreed with a nod.

"Good," said a voice. "Because Firestar was my friend, and I'm coming too."

* * *

The sun was high in the sky by the time they reached the farm. Cinderpelt let out a deep sigh, looking around. It had been a long day, with her paws cracked and aching from the distant walk. "We ought to sit vigil," she mewed to the others, and then turned to face Ravenpaw. "Ravenpaw, is there any mint or rosemary around here?"

Ravenpaw nodded. "The Two-legs keep some in their herb garden. I'll go fetch it." He raced away. Cinderpelt turned to Sandstorm. The she-cat was still mainly unresponsive, her eyes blank and staring, unseeing. Cinderpelt sighed. If only she had some herbs, she'd be able to make the she-cat feel better. _Thyme and poppyseed would be best,_ she decided, _or maybe some chamomile. _

Ravenpaw soon returned with the leaves grasped in his mouth. He dropped them beside Cinderpelt, who nodded her thanks. Crushing the leaves, she rubbed them over Firestar's pelt. Brightheart soon joined her, and Cinderpelt smiled at her for willingly helping her.

Soon, the cats had settled near the body. Even Barley and Onewhisker, who hadn't known him that well, joined them. Cinderpelt stifled a yawn.

_Oh, Firestar, _she thought sadly, _you were the most caring, compassionate cat in the whole forest, and I shall always love you... _Her eyelids drooped. _Always..._

Cinderpelt stood at Fourtrees, staring straight at the shimmering spirit of Bluestar. "Bluestar," she greeted, dipping her head. "Did you need to tell me something?"

Bluestar nodded. "I have a dire mistake to confess, Cinderpelt. Firestar was never the fire in the prophecy. It was always someone else."

"What?" Cinderpelt screeched. "How can it be anybody but Firestar? He has proven himself over and over!" Bluestar shook her head dolefully.

"You must keep your eyes open, Cinderpelt! Look for the fire!" She then smiled, her eyes bright and her ears pricked. "He is awaking. Wake up!"

Cinderpelt sat up, her eyes wide. All around her, the others were asleep. It was dark out, and Silverpelt shone in the sky. For a moment, she wondered what had woken her.

Then the corpse at her feet moved, and a pair of emerald-green eyes fluttered open. Cinderpelt's heart leaped into her throat.

_"Firestar?"_

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**Laura's Note: **Invisia will be doing the odd chapters while I'll be doing the even ones. As Invisia said, we wouldn't mind reviews to tell us what you think, and also, if you find any writing mistakes that we forgot to correct or skipped, mind pointing them out to us, please?

**Invisi's Note: **Did you like it? I'm quite proud of that cliffhanger...


	2. Chapter Two

**Response to Reviews:**

**Meta Write: **

**Laura's Response: **Here's more for you. :D And cool name!

**Invisi's Response: **Well, you asked for it...

**SamRedFox:**

**Laura's Response: **Yes, it could…

**Invisi's Response: **What she said...

**Xxtwilightsongxx:**

**Laura's Response: **Thank you! We're going to try our best to update quickly even though we're back to school.

**Invisi's Response: **Thanks so much! I'm glad you like the story. Like Laura said, we're working on it, despite the fact that we have school.

**Featherpool16:**

**Laura's Response: **Maybe he is a zombie, maybe he isn't. We shall see…

**Invisi's Response: **Not quite...

* * *

**Chapter Two**

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A shriek was what jolted Sandstorm awake. She fervently looked around the farm for any sign of intruders but there was no one. Onewhisker, Barley, Ravenpaw, Brightheart, Cloudtail, and Graystripe were still sound asleep, not even stirring. Sandstorm blinked away the tiredness in her eyes and sighed. Her mind was just playing tricks on her. Why wouldn't it? After all, earlier had been the most traumatic experience of her life.

"_Great StarClan, you're alive!_"

A real scream. So her mind _wasn't_ fooling her.

She looked towards where the yowl was made and noticed Cinderpelt standing near Firestar's side. Sandstorm tilted her head to the side in bewilderment when she took a long intake of her friend's strange posture.

The gray she-cat looked like she had jumped back from where she was, and her fur was fluffed up twice its size. Although Sandstorm couldn't catch what expression was on her face, she knew that something had frightened her.

But what?

That was when the dead body of Firestar shifted, and she gasped. How did he move? It's absurdly impossible for a cat to come back to life! Impossible…

Sandstorm's jaw dropped when the logic stirred in her brain.

_Scourge didn't kill all his nine lives! He's still alive! _She thought joyously. She was feeling as ecstatic as a kit finally becoming an apprentice, unable to stop smiling. Sandstorm blankly approached them, sitting down beside Cinderpelt.

Once she stared down at her mate, her smile disappeared. Firestar's eyes were wide and barely blinking, and his breathing was quick and uneven. Cinderpelt attempted to soothe him with soft pleads and a sighed when it wasn't doing any affect on the tom's frenzied behavior. She looked at Sandstorm with distress.

"Can you try something? Maybe he'll calm down when he senses his mate."

Without replying, Sandstorm padded towards Firestar's other side, sitting beside him and licking his ears in slow rasps. In between pauses she'd whisper, "It's okay. I'm here, my love, I'm here."

After a few moments, Firestar's eyes were in tired slits; his breathing was now in a deep and slow rhythm. He slightly opened his mouth, slurring words when saying Sandstorm's name. "Sand…storm…" His gaze rested on Cinderpelt, and before he could say her name, Cinderpelt put her tail in front of his mouth and shook her head.

"Wha…?"

Graystripe woke up. Sandstorm felt his eyes on her, Firestar and Cinderpelt, and heard him stand up. He paused, probably noticing them. The gray warrior was towards the three cats in seconds, sitting where Sandstorm had been.

"Holy…"

"You got that right," Cinderpelt murmured. Graystripe faced her with a look of amazement.

"Cinderpelt, what did you do?" he asked in a choked up tone.

"I didn't do anything." She shook her head, blinking with curiosity. "Apparently he has a few lives left; Scourge didn't kill him all the way!" Graystripe's whole face lightened up.

"You mean, my buddy's back?"

"He's not back," Sandstorm cheered. "He was always here!"

"WHOOHOO!" Graystripe crowed happily to the sky. He shrunk back when sleepy groans were made from the others.

Sandstorm nuzzled her mate with several purrs while Cinderpelt diagnosed Firestar's "resurrection". "He must have gone unconscious from the pain." The gray she-cat stroked Firestar's forehead. "Oh, it must have been excruciating. Poor tom."

The mention of pain made Sandstorm remember of his injuries. She hadn't really been focused on them until now, with her eyes intently looking at Firestar's head wound and stomach wound. The herbs Cinderpelt had applied caused them to look glazy, and strikingly showed their last remains of blood, which had dried up on the cuts. They remained red shreds of his body, open and untended.

Looking up at Cinderpelt she said, "I think you should—"

"Get herbs?"

Sandstorm nodded. "Yeah, exactly. Right now."

Cinderpelt glanced over her shoulder, biting her lip in worry. "I wouldn't want to wake Barley up…"

"But we _need _to heal Firestar," Sandstorm insisted.

"I know, I know. Just let me think it through."

"Think it—" Sandstorm started in an edgy tone, getting cross and impatient with Cinderpelt, when Firestar let out an agonized scream and was silent with mixed emotions.

Her stomach twisted at Firestar's writhing. After his third cry, he went limp, falling on his right side. Sandstorm's heart pounded in her chest. She couldn't find the words to speak so she gave Cinderpelt a questioning look.

"He's just lost another life," she replied matter-of-factly.

_What if he keeps on dying every few heartbeats? The same as Tigerstar, but only slower, _Sandstorm dreadfully thought. _No, I can't lose him! Not when he has a chance to live and stay with us. With me._

Fury suddenly rose through her veins, washing away all the fear and worry. She flicked her tail.

"No! I won't let this happen! Not again!"

"Okay, Sandstorm. I'll go collect herbs in the forest. Just let me think it through."

"About what? You know where every single herb is in the forest!"

"I'm talking about how to hide from BloodClan."

Sandstorm forced herself not to seethe. "Well think about it on the way there! You do realize that this is a crisis, right?" She raised her voice. "Do youwant him to _die _or _be with us?!_ Because of your lacking, I'm pretty sure you want him to die!"

"Sandstorm, I'm not lack—"

"Then _go and save him!_ Don't you care about him? He's one of your best friends!"

"Hey," Graystripe said, "how about you stop bullying Cinderpelt, eh? Ever thought that you're wasting time with your ranting? If you care about Firestar's life so much, why don't you go collect herbs?"

_I am not ranting—I'm urging Cinderpelt to go get herbs! _Sandstorm thought defensively, too enraged and panicked to say it out loud.

"Graytripe—don't." Cinderpelt glanced at Sandstorm and then gave Graystripe a look of warning. _What was that? Does she think I'm dangerous?_ "Sandstorm isn't bullying me; she's just acting stupidly frantic at a time like this"—Sandstorm glared at Graystripe, who was trying to stifle a laugh—"and she's not coming nor are you. You two need to comfort Firestar; after all, you're the most important things in his life. I'll be fine on my own, and I'll try to get back as soon as possible."

She drew away from Firestar and Graystripe, stepping in front of Sandstorm. Her gaze was filled with no emotion; Sandstorm shivered at how strange and scary it looked in Cinderpelt's usual happy and calm eyes.

"And for your information, Sandstorm, I don't care about Firestar, I love him," the medicine cat icily confessed, "With all my heart, and sometimes I wish we were more than friends. Maybe if I hadn't been crippled, he'd be with me and not you. He wouldn't have had to deal with an obnoxious hothead like yourself. Maybe—he would have given me an apprentice already if I wouldn't nag him over and over. But, unfortunately, it's too late for us. You'll never have an apprentice and I'll never find love." Every coldly-toned word sliced through Sandstorm like claws.

"If you'll excuse me." Cinderpelt turned around. She looked over her shoulder. "I have to do something _other _than act like a maniac. And, Graystripe? Thank you for being calm and cooperative during this event." With her head held high, the medicine cat padded away, leaving Graystripe with his jaw dropped, and Sandstorm cursing away.

* * *

"Okay," Cinderpelt whispered to herself, pointing at each ingredient she had collected with her tail while saying their names. "Marigold, chamomile, thyme, goldenrod, alder bark, bay, burdock leaves, coltsfoot, nettle leaves…" Her voice faltered when a herb that she didn't recognize met her eyes. "What is that?" She squinted at it through the darkness, groaning when it was still unidentified.

It was as if Silverpelt wasn't even present this night! Usually when the stars would come out during this time, Cinderpelt would have less difficulty finding and recognizing herbs, but the faint glow of the stars felt invisible.

_It must be around midnight, _she guessed, and then rolled her eyes. _But apparently, some BloodClan cats go night hunting._

Four times.

Four cursed times she had to conceal herself even if she smelled one of those filthy mange-pelts.

And she dearly hoped there wouldn't be a fifth.

The strong scents of the herbs caused Cinderpelt to snap out of the memory, and realizing that she wasn't done checking which medicine she had, she continued doing so. She had everything that was needed to revive Firestar, but something was missing. Something that stopped bleeding…

It finally clicked when the long legs of a spider were crawling on a rock that had been in her range of vision. _Cobwebs! _She then remembered that Firestar wasn't bleeding. _Should I get them? Maybe I should…just in case he starts bleeding again. The possibilities are endless! And Sandstorm would probably have my pelt if I didn't bring it, _she thought of that reckon with grimness, clearly remembering the last words she said to the she-cat before going off.

She honestly didn't mean to blurt that out; it just made its way out of her mouth. She just couldn't take it anymore, and she was proud to finally admit that, but now Cinderpelt felt as though it was a mistake caused just because of anger. Luckily, the surroundings of the forest calmed her down. Though, she was still annoyed at Sandstorm's disrespectful behavior towards her, and how many times she'd have to hide and would trip randomly.

As if on cue, Cinderpelt turned to search for cobwebs that were near her and as she spun to the left, she fell face front in the dirt. She regained to her feet, spitting out the dirt that had entered her mouth.

She just wanted to scream so badly, longing to get any kind of rage out of her system, but she'd get caught if that happened, and she reluctantly knew in the back of her mind that she _needed_ to live in order to heal everyone physically and mentally.

So, in an effort to be quiet and to relieve her agitation, Cinderpelt mumbled curses while hiding the medicine in a bush. She unsheathed her claws and drew a slash at the dirt in front of it, so it'd stand out when she'd come back with cobwebs.

Cinderpelt wandered through ThunderClan territory, looking over her shoulder and keeping her ears pricked at times if there were any BloodClan cats, and smiled when she found the sticky-looking substance on a log.

She retrieved the cobwebs, and began returning to the other ingredients, looking down whenever she reached a bush and waiting for the scratch to show up. Finally, after what felt like forever, she located the cache of herbs right where she left them.

_Great! _The she-cat thought, feeling fulfilled. _I'm done! All I have to do is go to the farm, and Firestar'll be healed before Sandstorm knows it!_

Cinderpelt immediately knew she jinxed herself when a nearby voice yowled, "Please, don't harm my kits! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

She had considered ignoring it but the mention of kits made her heart melt. _No she-cat deserves to lose their chance of making and raising kits, _she thought. _I won't let them suffer. Not like me._

"Sorry doesn't change anything," a deep, rough voice hissed. "Scourge said you need to learn your lesson when you've disobeyed his orders."

Cinderpelt pricked her ears up, following where the voices lead to. She paused for a moment and leaned forward when the queen meowed:

"I _didn't _disobey his orders!" Her cracked voice tugged at Cinderpelt's heart; it would be on the verge of crying any second. "Back in my Clan, queens _weren't allowed _to hunt because it could hurt them and the kits. Please—"

A hard _thud _hit the ground, and the queen didn't continue speaking. Cinderpelt's blood ran cold when she realized that the BloodClan cat had pushed her, and that he was going to do something worse than a strong nudge.

_He's going to attack her._

The medicine cat quickly scanned the forest and raced behind a bush when she spotted a figure in front of it. She was so close to the cats that she could smell their scents. BloodClan, of course. And then WindClan mingled in with BloodClan. It was either Ashfoot or Morningflower being punished, for she could especially remember the two queens, along with half of WindClan and sadly half of ThunderClan, on the side of joining BloodClan when Onewhisker and Graystripe had announced that they were going to the farm.

"_Cats of ThunderClan and WindClan," Graystripe started, "in order to settle your decisions more easily, those who wish to join BloodClan"—he flicked his tail to the right of the clearing—"go over there."_

"_And those who wish to join the home of Ravenpaw and Barley," Onewhisker stated, pointing his tail toward the left, where Cinderpelt and the others were seated, "come over there."_

_Every cat looked hesitant and puzzled, but little by little they approached either side. Cinderpelt brightened when their group extended with the company of Dustpelt, and she waited with hope for more of her Clanmates to join them. She wouldn't even mind if any WindClan cats joined; the more cats, the better._

_She slightly frowned when she saw Barkface, the medicine cat of WindClan, go to the right side. He was followed by Mousefur and Longtail. Heartbeats passed. There were still a few cats deciding on their new home._

_Cinderpelt saw Sorrelkit playfully scamper to those on the right group, oblivious to what was happening. Her brothers, Sootkit and Rainkit laughed as they ran after her, chasing her among the warriors. Willowpelt scolded at them to come back to where they were, but they refused. Rainkit stopped where he was, beaming._

"_We want to be over here, mother. Not being in a Clan seems boring!"_

_Willowpelt, distressed, glanced at the left side and back at Rainkit. "But, don't you want to be all warm and comfortable with the cats you know?" Cinderpelt knew what the queen was really saying, besides all the kit-talk: "Don't you want to be safe?" She was relieved that her Clanmate knew how dangerous BloodClan was, and that she wanted the best for them._

"_No way!" Sorrelkit meowed. "I want to be an apprentice!"_

"_Yeah!" Sootkit agreed. "C'mon, mom!"_

_Willowpelt gave her kits a teary smile and nodded, but the fear and grief in her eyes were bright. The she-cat faced the left side, gazing at one of them with pain. Cinderpelt knew instantly it was Graystripe who she was staring at. She turned to Graystripe, only to feel her heart clench when he wore same expression as his mother._

They're saying their last good-bye, _she realized, feeling sick._

_Willowpelt turned back to her kits and once she reached them, she gathered them beside her with her tail and bowing her head in defeat._

_Cinderpelt placed her tail tip on Graystripe's shoulder and nudged him to console him, but by the remaining look plastered on his face, it showed that his mood wouldn't change._

_Among the deciding cats, Dappletail quietly talked to Ashpaw and Fernpaw while warriors of WindClan joined the right side with hunched soldiers. Sooner or later, without meeting eye contact with anyone, Dappletail, Ashpaw, and Fernpaw silently exited the hollow and into Two-leg place._

_The only cats left to choose were, the two WindClan queens Morningflower and Ashfoot, Thornclaw, Goldenfower, and Frostfur._

_Suddenly Goldenflower stalked to the right side. Then came Frostfur. And Thornclaw, with Morningflower and Ashfoot…_

"_No!" Cinderpelt gasped, and was about to dash towards the pregnant she-cats, when someone held her back by placing their paw on her tail._

"_Don't," whispered Brackenfur gently. "It's their choice, Cinderpelt, not yours."_

"_But their kits…" Cinderpelt protested, imagining the cruelty towards the queens and their kits that BloodClan could be capable of. "They could die before they're born! They can't lose their chance of having kits!"_

"_They _won't _lose their chance. StarClan will help them." He licked her cheek, pressing his pelt against hers. "Everything's gonna to be okay, sis."_

_Cinderpelt knew that his prediction was false, but she was too tired to speak anymore. She hated to admit it, but Brackenfur was right; it was Ashfoot and Morningflower's decision. The medicine cat let it be, but she knew that they were going to regret it._

Cinderpelt didn't need to guess that whoever this queen was, was more regretful than ever. And she wasn't going to let that happen.

Separating the leaves of the bush to get them out of her eyes, Cinderpelt's heart stopped at the morbid scene that was in front of her: Ashfoot—she discovered by her gray pelt—was lain on the ground, surrounded and covered in blood which Cinderpelt guessed was her own. On top of her was a broad-shouldered, murderous-looking tom, the blood gleaming on his claws almost as bright as his red pelt was against the moonlight. The stance of the BloodClan warrior was blocking the sight of half of Ashfoot's body, but between the gaps that his body didn't cover, Cinderpelt could spot a scratch near the side of her stomach and dreadfully assumed that the rest was more than a scratch.

"My kits…my kits." Ashfoot's voice was barely a whisper. The queen was as still as rock, but she was shaking like an angry wasps' nest. "My," her breath hitched, "_kits._"

"That's what you and every new flea-pelt in our Clan get if they refuse to hunt," the BloodClan warrior hissed. "We can only hope that that other bloated she-cat won't hunger us because she's worried about her useless and weak, little scraps that aren't even born yet." He snorted. "_Pathetic!_"

"P-p-please," she whimpered. "Not Morningflower if she makes a mistake. I at least…want my friend's young to see the light."

"That's for Scourge to decide." The tom got off Ashfoot and into a sitting position. He licked off the blood on his paws, rudely flicking the blood that was stained on his claws off at Ashfoot, who flinched and closed her eyes every time a droplet would reach her. Cinderpelt suppressed a growl when he, all clean and groomed, stood up and flicked a small pile of dirt to her face; she longed to claw him to pieces, but she knew that her bad leg would allow him to kill her for sure.

"My bad," the ginger cat chuckled. "Well, I'll leave you here. So you can get a _nice, long _sleep until we find your lifeless body in the morning." His eyes glinted as he smirked. "Night-night, sleep tight, don't let the mosquitos bite!"

Cinderpelt's paws tingled, urging her to run towards Ashfoot, but she reluctantly restrained herself until the BloodClan warrior would be out of sight. He began stalking away, near the bushes and into the forest, his pawsteps no longer audible. Cinderpelt took her chance to reveal herself from hiding by walking around the bush that concealed her.

"Oh, no…" she whispered when she took a look at Ashfoot's stomach. She padded towards the gray she-cat, sucking in her breath at the closer view of the wound. It was pretty deep, merely showing a little bit of bone. But the most damaged part was the uterus; it was so gnarled up that the blood appeared black instead of red, and bones and other parts of Ashfoot's body were disturbingly visible when they should've been concealed.

_He hurt the kits, and she might die! I have_ _to save her! _She thought, completely forgetting about healing Firestar.

"Ashfoot."

To Cinderpelt's shock and relief, the queen looked up at her, in spite of how in shock she appeared to be. Her lip quivered before she sobbed shakily, "They're dead…they're gone!"

"Hey, hey, hey," Cinderpelt meowed soothingly when Ashfoot continued to shake and gasp with cries. "Your kits aren't dead. Not as long as I'm here to help you get back to health." Bright orbs were staring back at her, no longer wide and blank but sincere. Cinderpelt smiled.

"Okay, let's get started!" She flicked her tail enthusiastically. Once again, she studied Ashfoot's state. "Don't speak; it'll only cause future pain."

The gray queen blinked questioningly, and Cinderpelt knew that she was wondering what she'd do if she needed to answer any questions.

"You can just tell me what you think by facial expressions or simple body language. Is that okay?"

Ashfoot shrugged.

"I'll take that as a yes. And if it causes you any pain at all, just slightly raise your paw."

She flicked her ears in understanding.

"Hmm…bad thing is, since you're so badly injured we won't be able to make it to Barley's farm in time. Supposedly I can gently move you a few fox-lengths away from where you are so BloodClan doesn't find you?"

"Perfect," she said when Ashfoot nodded.

Cinderpelt managed to gingerly direct the queen to another spot without totally rubbing her wound against the dirt, which wouldn't cause too much infection for both her and Ashfoot's sake.

She stopped at the safe and secured aura that surrounding them. She observed what was in front of them; tall or small trees that could easily blend in with any cats' pelt no matter what color and part of the area had moss that was thin but spacious enough for a ten-moon-old apprentice. Cinderpelt figured that she'd lay Ashfoot shoulders to the waist on the moss, and that she'd collect a thicker supply tomorrow.

"Okay, I'm going to lay you down," she said to the queen, and Cinderpelt set Ashfoot against the moss as she planned. "You need a den." Her eyes drifted to the trees and the only substitute that seemed to be present were bushes. She scampered toward one, bringing it towards Ashfoot and placing it on the ground. "This isn't the best…but it will do for now."

Cinderpelt started to seize bushes and put them every place that was near Ashfoot. At times she had to use twigs, leaves, and cobwebs that stuck on some trees since there were no more bushes to use, but the medicine cat managed to finish her creation. She stepped back a few paces to see how it looked far away; it was uneven and some small openings showed a little bit of Ashfoot's fur, but it was good enough. _I'll even try to hide our scent._

"Ashfoot," Cinderpelt called, "I'm going to get herbs. Don't worry; I'll be quick. I promise."

Knowing that her patient heard her, Cinderpelt turned around without seeing a response, thinking of the herbs hidden in the bush with the claw marks, and dashing away in spite of how it hurt her bad leg.

She smelled the air, satisfied to detect no BloodClan and just feel wind ruffling her pelt. She recognized the part of the forest that had her herbs, peering down at the earth to look for the mark. Cinderpelt gasped at the engraved dirt in front of her. She seized all of the herbs eagerly, and paused, remembering that they were for Firestar.

_Firestar's dying right at this moment, _one part of her mind reminded her.

_So is Ashfoot, _the other part pointed out.

_Sandstorm will be heartbroken if he isn't healed; you'll be too._

_Ashfoot is a queen, about to lose her kits!_

_Don't let the cat you love die! Who do you care about more?_

_Well Firestar—_

"Stop!" Cinderpelt screamed.

Silence.

She realized that her eyes were closed, so she opened them. "I'm going to heal Ashfoot," she mewed sternly. "I hate to say this, but Firestar has a few lives left; Ashfoot has only one. He'll manage."

Glad that the quietness in her head was still there, Cinderpelt tried to grab ever single herb using her paws, mouth, and even her tail, running back to where Ashfoot was. It took her a few heartbeats to get back there, but she went through the group of bushes, staring at Ashfoot and relieved to see that her eyes were open and that she was still breathing.

Cinderpelt stuck cobwebs to her wound and gave her chamomile. Considering to start a conversation during her work so it wouldn't be anxious and tense, she began to talk.

"How do you like BloodClan?"

Ashfoot glared at her.

"Not really surprised, you know. I mean, if I were you, I would've joined Barley and Ravenpaw, but you still wanted to stay in your home—the forest, right? And for your kits to live there too and become warriors?"

Cinderpelt received a slow nod.

"But now you regret it?" It sounded more like a statement then a question; Cinderpelt knew the answer already.

A nod.

She chewed up alder and spit it out, rubbing it on Ashfoot's stomach while saying, "You may regret your mistake now, but you'll soon forget about it because you'll be in a better place."

Ashfoot's eyes grew wide.

Cinderpelt chuckled. "No, no, no, not death. You're certainly not going to die on my part. What I mean is the farm where I live now. Once you and you're kits are fully healed, you're coming with me. So you don't have to deal with BloodClan's wrath again. _No one—especially a queen—_should deserve that because of a disability."

A panicked look.

"It's okay. I'm going to try to work everything out. And who knows? Maybe they won't even go looking for you. Hopefully," she added when Ashfoot gave her a disbelieved look.

Cinderpelt gave Ashfoot a swift but comforting lick on the head.

"Don't be doubtful. We're going to be fine."

Ashfoot's expression stated "You promise?"

"I promise."

* * *

When Cinderpelt returned to the farm with a new supply of herbs, the first thing she had to deal with was Sandstorm raving in her face.

"Where in StarClan's name have you been?!" she hissed. "When you were taking your time finding medicine in the forest, Firestar lost two lives! _Two lives!_ All because of you! What were you doing, anyway? Freely browsing the other territories?"

Cinderpelt sighed. "Something important came up."

"The only important thing here is healing Firestar!" Sandstorm snarled, her fur bristling.

Cinderpelt swore that she was about to push her to the ground, when Sandstorm began to shake. She immediately knew it was of fear and sorrow when the warrior's lip quivered and when her eyes gleamed with pain.

"If my mate dies, it's all your fault!"

Then the ginger she-cat ran off into the Two-leg nest, her sobs following after her.

Cinderpelt blankly stared after Sandstorm, no longer full of anger. Only regret. Her eyes tore away from the barn, meeting Graystripe's gaze.

The warrior had been where she left him; sitting beside the limp Firestar.

Now he rose to his feet, his face twisted with sympathy and doubtfulness.

"I'll go try to calm her down."

Cinderpelt wordlessly nodded, not watching Graystripe as he disappeared into the Two-leg nest. _I should be comforting Sandstorm, but Firestar has to be healed. _She then stared at the fiery tom. _I'm so sorry…I just had to heal Ashfoot. Please forgive me._

She quickly pressed her cheek against his, drinking in his sweet and soothing scent, savoring the moment before it had to end and she had to get to work.

The medicine lay beside her, and Cinderpelt seized the marigold first, rubbing it on Firestar's wounds. As she continued reviving him, Cinderpelt stared up at the night sky, and prayed.

_StarClan, please help me heal my allies just as I successfully did in ThunderClan. _Cinderpelt wasn't sure if her mind was playing tricks on her, but as she continued staring at the sky, the stars of Silverpelt seemed to twinkle and fade away. Her shoulders slumped and she turned her attention back to Firestar, getting the next herb.

_Well, if you're even there anymore._

The mention of the other fire didn't even cross her mind as if it was a vague memory, and for once, she believed that StarClan was leaving them.

Helping no one.


	3. Chapter Three

**Response to Reviews:**

**Featherpool16:**

**Laura's Response: **That won't happen at all. And, no spoilers! Sorry!

**Invisi's Response: **I don't think you'll have to worry about that... And I can't tell you that, it'd ruin the surprise!

* * *

**Chapter Three**

* * *

Cinderpelt shivered. Leaf-bare was growing ever colder, and soon there would be no herbs for her to collect. _All the better for you to collect them now, rather than later, _she told herself. The gray she-cat glanced around, her nose twitching anxiously. She could smell cat-scent, yet it wasn't particularly strong, nor coming from any direction. Her guess would've been that a cat had passed by this place earlier, or the night before.

It didn't put her at ease, though. The forest that had once belonged to ThunderClan was now over run with BloodClan cats. She knew that if they caught her now, she wouldn't be able to fight back. She would, very likely, be killed. She glanced around again and continued to push on, heading for where Ashfoot had been hidden the day before. Mist wreathed through the tree trunks, dampening everything and setting Cinderpelt even more on edge.

_This isn't right, _she thought uneasily, halting at the edge of the clearing. It was oddly empty, yet she could still catch a hint of the queen's scent. "Ashfoot?" she called nervously. "Are you okay?" There was a moment of silence before a bush nearby rustled and Ashfoot's grey head popped out. Cinderpelt sighed with relief. _Oh, thank StarClan. _She hobbled over to where the queen was waiting and shouldered the branches out of the way. She peered at the wound on the she-cat's stomach, which was covered up by the herb poultice she'd applied yesterday.

She gingerly nosed the herbs out of the way, and winced upon hearing Ashfoot gasp in pain. The wound looked a little better than it had the day before, the blood not as dark. "I'll be back in a minute," Cinderpelt told the queen, before ducking out from the makeshift den. Padding several tree-lengths away, she found a store of alder. The leaves were damp and torn. _It'll have to do, _she thought, nipping the leaves off the plant. _I can't afford to go back to camp and fetch some from the store. I'll be caught before I even get there._

She returned to Ashfoot's hiding place and reapplied the poultice. She was just wrapping up when she heard voices. Cinderpelt stiffened, opening her jaws to taste the air. The scent of BloodClan wafted towards her, and she mentally cursed. Desperately, she pulled the branches and bushes closer around herself and the injured queen. "Be quiet, okay?" Cinderpelt whispered to her. "Don't move." Ashfoot nodded worriedly. The medicine cat crouched to the ground, peering between the branches.

A group of BloodClan cats stepped from the woods, glancing around. They were led by the red tabby tom that had attacked Ashfoot the day before. Behind Cinderpelt, the queen gave a shudder of fright. Cinderpelt laid her tail on her flank comfortingly. The red tom was followed by two others—a grey tabby and a silver-grey she-cat. The grey she-cat stopped and frowned.

"Mortimer, are you sure we're not lost?" she asked condescendingly. The red tom grunted in annoyance.

"Yes, I'm sure!" he snarled. "I could've sworn, I killed her right here!" He slammed one large paw into the ground. His green eyes narrowed, staring around. Cinderpelt froze as they locked with hers. She was sure, for a heartbeat, that they'd been discovered, but after a moment his gaze slid past her and she sighed with relief.

"Maybe she dragged herself away to die?" the grey tabby offered, peering around. "She's around here somewhere. I can smell blood." Cinderpelt winced.

"I can't believe I'm saying this," the silver she-cat sighed, "but Screech actually came up with a good idea for once. Let's go look around."

"For once?" the grey tom, Screech, demanded hotly. "Admit it, Athena, I always come up with the good ideas around here." The silver she-cat rolled her eyes, heading towards Cinderpelt and Ashfoot's hiding place. Cinderpelt held her breath.

"Sure you do," Athena drawled. She was right beside the den at this time, and stopped, sniffing around. Cinderpelt slightly shifted backwards, her whole form quivering. _If she finds us, we're done for! _She thought despairingly.

"Look, are you trying to pick a fight?" Screech snarled at Athena. "Because, I'll give you a fight. I'll rip your face off!" Athena simply ignored him, and pushed her head through the leaves and branches that shielded them. Amber eyes met Cinderpelt's own, and she gasped in shock. Athena gave a snarl, ripping the den apart and revealing Cinderpelt standing protectively over Ashfoot. Athena stared at the scene for a moment before snorting with laughter.

"Wow, look at that! It seems that she-cat has a protector." She leered in Cinderpelt's face menacingly. "Are you supposed to be tough, kit? I'd go lie down if I were you." Cinderpelt found herself being bowled over by the angry she-cat. She hissed and spat at Athena, but the BloodClan warrior only chuckled. Behind her, Cinderpelt heard Ashfoot cry out in pain.

"Ashfoot!" Cinderpelt yowled. "Ashfoot! Help! Someone, please, help us!" Athena's claws dug deep into her shoulders, drawing blood. Cinderpelt tried to wriggle free, but she was trapped. _StarClan, help me! _She thought desperately. _Help me!_

* * *

Rabbit woke, startled. The burrow was dark and damp, and the light spilling from the entrance was grey. She sighed, getting to her feet and picking her way across the tunnel until she was out in the open.

This entrance to the burrow was in the forest, where Rabbit had decided to bed down last night. She'd been up late, searching for the fae. She'd found a fairy ring nearby, and she knew that the fae often came out at midnight. However, it had rained before she'd seen them. It was a shame, really. _I'll have to try again tonight, _she thought. Raising her muzzle, Rabbit scented the air for any sign of prey. As usual, she scented nothing.

After the big battle between the forest cats and the city cats, prey had been harder to come by. Then again, leaf-bare had settled upon the forest once more. Maybe that had something to do with the scarce prey? Food was always harder to come by in the cold times. With a yawn, Rabbit decided to head over to the river rocks. There was always some sort of prey to be found there—a vole or minnow, perhaps.

Emerging from the trees, Rabbit found that the Wind was bitingly cold. She flinched, heading up to the top of the river rocks. "Wind?" she called. It howled in return, and Rabbit frowned. The spirits were agitated. "Is there something I can do to help?" She strained her ears, hoping to hear the voices of the spirits. She was not disappointed.

_"Head deeper into the forest, Rabbit," _the Wind called. _"There are two injured cats that need rescuing." _Rabbit bit her lip in worry. How could she rescue anyone? She tended to stay away from other cats. But, if the Wind wanted these two cats saved, then they must be important. The Wind had once told her she'd had a destiny to fulfil, after all.

"Alright," she agreed. "I'll go." She scampered back down the rocks, sending a wistful glance at the swirling river. She longed for food, but if the Wind decided she had a job to do, then she'd do it. She didn't want the spirits to be angry at her, after all.

_"Thank you, Rabbit," _the Wind whispered as Rabbit headed into the trees. The wind fell away, replaced by the odd calmness of mist. Rabbit flicked her ears, letting her feet carry her further into the woods. Before long, she heard a scream, and stiffened.

"Help! Someone, please, help us!" It was a she-cat, and she sounded distressed. Rabbit raced towards the sound, freezing as she reached the edge of a clearing. She gulped, shying away slightly. She'd found the cats she was supposed to help—two grey she-cats, both of whom looked to be injured. She'd also found who they needed saving from—three menacing city cats.

"Any help, Wind?" she whispered, yet no reply reached her. The trees were blocking It out. _Okay, _she thought, _time for another approach. _Rabbit was small and she wasn't particularly brave or clever. Everyone who knew her said she was crazy—and she certainly talked that way, too. _They don't understand me, and I don't understand them. Yet I understand the city cats enough to know that they'll hurt anyone innocent, and they'd fight one of their own. _That's when the idea came to her—the craziest thing she'd ever thought in her life. Though, maybe it was crazy enough to work.

Glancing around, Rabbit spotted a bush covered in red berries. She padded over and rolled in it, feeling the berry juices soak into her fur. The thorns on the bush dug into her pelt, drawing actual blood. Shaking her fur to ruffle it, she took a deep breath and raced into the clearing. The three city cats looked up in surprise as Rabbit gave a howl of pain. She wondered what the city cats called themselves, and then decided it didn't matter as long as she'd scare them off.

"Help!" she yelped. "We need help! A dog attack, on the other side of the river! Our leader is gravely injured! You need to get there now!" She collapsed to the ground, looking up at them in what she hoped was desperation.

"A dog attack? Scourge injured? Impossible!" said the grey tom. Rabbit shook her head, trying to seem panicky.

"They ambushed us! There were so many, and so _big!_ These weren't Two-leg dogs, they were more like beasts! Please, you have to help us!" In Rabbit's opinion, she was doing pretty well. The city cats seemed convinced she was one of their own.

"Come on, let's go!" the red tom ordered in an aggressive tone. "We have to help Scourge!" The grey tom seemed to agree, but the silver she-cat seemed more skeptical. She frowned at Rabbit with her eyes narrowed.

"How can we be sure you're not faking it?" she growled. Rabbit's mind raced before coming up with the most stupid thing she'd probably ever done.

"You-You have..." She gasped, giving the impression of uneven breathing. "Have to..." She trailed away, dropping her head and locking her eyes on a fixed point, allowing her vision to go blurry. She held her breath, hoping the city cats would _go away _so she could knock off the acting and clean her fur.

"Let's go," the red tom said grimly. He glanced at the two injured she-cats, who were now huddled together and shaking in fear. "Those two aren't going anywhere. We can come back later and finish the job." Rabbit held her position until the city cat's footsteps faded away. Then she gasped for breath, sitting up. The two she-cats seemed stunned to see her.

"Stupid city cats," Rabbit muttered, licking clean her chest fur. "Why can't they learn to leave others alone?" She tried not to laugh at the looks on the faces of the two she-cats watching her. One had matted fur and a belly swollen with kits, whilst the other had a lame leg. The one with the lame leg limped forwards.

"Thank you," she said graciously. "For rescuing us. I'm Cinderpelt, and this is Ashfoot." Rabbit stopped grooming her fur and looked up at Cinderpelt with a warm grin.

"I'm Rabbit," she told them. "Please, don't thank me. It's the Wind you should be thanking. They told me to come and rescue you." Cinderpelt blinked.

"The Wind?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. Rabbit sighed. She knew other cats thought she was crazy for believing in the Wind, no matter how many times she'd explained it to them that the It was real. She didn't want to scare away these two just yet, but she couldn't ignore Cinderpelt's question. She sighed once more.

"The spirits of the dead live in the Wind," she explained to Cinderpelt. "They talk to me sometimes. Give me advice."

"Right." She looked contemplative rather than skeptical, so that was a good thing, right? Rabbit cleared her throat, trying to think of something to say.

"So, what are you doing here? Don't you know that the city cats took over this place? It's not safe for you forest cats anymore." Cinderpelt nodded.

"Of course, but Ashfoot's hurt! I just couldn't leave her to die. Besides, most of the herbs only grow in the forest. And I have an injured friend back at the farm..." She trailed away with a sad face. The other she-cat, Ashfoot, was crouched on the ground, her eyes only half-open. Rabbit nodded in acknowledgment.

"The farm? That's quite a long way away. Half a day's travel from here, at the least. You can't expect your friend—Ashfoot—to walk that far." Cinderpelt stared at her with wide eyes.

"I can't just leave her here!" she snapped. Rabbit nodded with a smile, knowing exactly what she had to do for once.

"The burrow spreads beneath the entire forest," she said. "It has many entrances—there's one not too far from here. I can take your friend there, and we can head up towards the farm. It'll take several days, but it's much safer." Cinderpelt frowned.

"Maybe…Okay, fine," Cinderpelt obliged when Rabbit made a begging expression like a kit would to play. "Every day you have to remove the poultice and replace it with a fresh one. She'll need plenty of food, fluids and sleep. If she gets worse, you'll have to fetch me, okay?" Rabbit nodded.

"Of course." She wasn't sure how she should feel about the new arrangements. On one paw, she had company, for the first time in a long time. On the other, she hadn't had company in so long that she'd forgotten the feeling of sharing the same home with someone. What if she wasn't ready? Rabbit wasn't normal, she knew that. If she was, why would others shun her and ridicule her as they did? These forest cats seemed different from the ones she'd left behind. Had she finally found someone she could fit in with? That was the craziest thought of all.

Pushing these thoughts to the back of her mind, she padded over to where Ashfoot lay. "Ashfoot?" she asked quietly. "You have to stand up now. I'm taking you someplace safe." Ashfoot looked up at her.

"Am I going to be okay?" she asked softly. Rabbit glanced behind her to see Cinderpelt at her shoulder. The lame she-cat hesitated, then nodded.

"You're going to be just fine, Ashfoot. Go with Rabbit. She'll look after you. I'll see you soon, okay?" Ashfoot slowly nodded. Rabbit was helping the injured she-cat to her feet when she realized the two of them were entirely alone. Cinderpelt had left.

* * *

Night had fallen by the time Cinderpelt reached the farm. It had started to rain, though not too heavily. Cinderpelt sat with a sigh, staring up at the stars. Was it just her imagination, or had they really faded? She sighed, lowering her head. Nothing felt right any more.

She thought briefly about the she-cat who had come to help them. At first, Cinderpelt had almost believed that Rabbit had been an injured BloodClan warrior and Scourge had really been hurt by dogs. When she hadn't been dead—not even a BloodClan cat—Cinderpelt had been shocked to say the least. She had been a little weary of her at first—that was, until she'd mentioned hearing dead cats' voices on the wind.

Could StarClan really be sending Rabbit messages? Or was it some other group of ancestors? Maybe she really _was_ crazy. Covered in some sort of red substance, she'd certainly seemed so. Cinderpelt stood, about to head into the barn to catch a mouse, when she spotted a flash of fur out of the corner of her eye. She turned to see Firestar's sleeping form, curled up under a smaller shelter beside the den. Beside him sat Sandstorm, her head bowed. Cinderpelt frowned, hesitating for a moment, before striding over there and sitting opposite side of the ginger she-cat.

"Sandstorm?" she said quietly. "Sandstorm, please don't be mad at me." The pale she-cat raised her head, her green eyes full of hurt and spite.

"Why not?" she asked rudely. "You're an awful medicine cat! He's lost four lives because you failed to heal him! You vanish, claiming that there's something out there more important than _my mate_!" If looks could kill, Cinderpelt was certain she'd be dead. Instead, she just sighed.

"I know. I know I've failed you, and Firestar, and every other cat here. I'm sorry for that. But it's not for the reason you think. It's not that I don't care—it's that I care too much. About everyone. About the cats I shouldn't worry for, yet I do. I don't expect you to understand, Sandstorm, but I've screwed up too many times in my life. I do it over and over again, and I always try to help." She blinked hard, looking up at Sandstorm. "Every time I help someone, I fail. Ever since I decided to step out into that Thunderpath, I've been cursed, and not just with a lame leg."

Sandstorm began to look concerned and worried—a look that Cinderpelt hadn't received from her in a long time. "Cinderpelt... Are you giving up on us?" She sounded worried, and Cinderpelt shook her head, silently hoping that she and the ginger she-cat would make up.

"Sandstorm, I'd never give up on you—any of you. I'm giving up on myself, because…you're right. I'm a terrible medicine cat." The shame washed over her all at once, and she realized that her life had just been mistake after mistake. She'd been crippled; she'd let Silverstream die; she'd lost Yellowfang; Firestar had lost four lives because of her; and, worst of all, she'd lost Firestar to Sandstorm.

"Don't," Sandstorm mewed with a cracked voice. "Please, don't-I didn't...I didn't mean it... I'm sorry, Cinderpelt!" Cinderpelt's head snapped up. Sandstorm wasn't the most forgiving cat, yet here she was, apologizing. Cinderpelt forced a smile, appreciating that the cat who had been an obnoxious and rude pain was sincerely saying sorry to the cat she'd probably despised the most.

"I'm sorry too, Sandstorm. I'll work harder—Firestar is my only priority from now on, I swear." Sandstorm smiled too, and it seemed to be genuine.

"He'd better be," she said, in a slightly teasing manner. Then her smile fell, and she seemed hesitant as she posed her next question. "Cinderpelt... Did you mean what you said, about loving him?" Cinderpelt nodded sadly.

"Of course I did. I love him with all my heart. He loves you more than he'd ever love me, though. You make him happy." She smiled at Sandstorm. "You deserve to be together."

"Cinderpelt!" Greystripe's voice reached their ears. Cinderpelt sighed, standing up.

"I'd best go see what he wants. Goodnight, Sandstorm." The she-cat echoed the farewell, and Cinderpelt limped over to where Greystripe stood at the entrance to the barn. He was staring at her with curiosity but with sternness too.

"Where did you go?" he asked. Cinderpelt blankly stared at him.

"To sit with Sandstorm, you saw—"

"No, today," Greystripe cut her off. "You left this morning before dawn and came back after nightfall. You certainly didn't bring back any herbs, and your shoulders are all cut up. Where did you go?" Cinderpelt winced, cursing silently. Greystripe was much more observant than cats gave him credit for.

"Fine, I went to visit Ashfoot."

"Ashfoot?"

"She was attacked by a BloodClan warrior yesterday. I found her when I was looking for herbs and I had to help her. That's why I took so long yesterday, and that's where I went today."

"That still doesn't explain the wounds on your shoulders."

"Some BloodClan cats found us. The only reason we got out was because a loner named Rabbit helped us. She's looking after Ashfoot for the time being, but they should be arriving here soon." Greystripe shrugged.

"Okay then," he said. "Just don't go out alone again, will you? Take one of the others. It's too dangerous for you being on your own with all those BloodClan cats about."

"I will, Greystripe," Cinderpelt agreed. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Greystripe called. Cinderpelt headed deeper into the barn and curled up in a corner. Her stomach growled—she hadn't eaten anything since before dawn—but she ignored it. She sighed, staring up at the dim stars through a hole in the roof.

_Are you listening, StarClan? _She wondered. _Did you send Rabbit to us? _There was no reply, of course. Cinderpelt's eyelids drooped. _If you did, thank you._


End file.
